You could hear it all across the track.
After almost every race, at least one athlete would say it - "hot feet, hot feet, hot feet" - and rip their spikes off for a bit of relief.
Yeah, Thursday's meet at French Field was blistering. Temperatures hovered in the mid 80s under beating sun and an almost cloudless blue sky, but it wasn't just the day that was hot. The Fort Collins City Championships meant local bragging rights were up for grabs, and the competitors came out to play.
Enter Fort Collins' Brooke Naughton.
Naughton started the day with a state-leading 5-8.5 high jump victory before recording second, third, and fourth place finishes in the pole vault, long jump, and 100, respectively. In total, the junior tallied four personal bests and 20 points on the day.
Behind Naughton's school record high jump, Fossil Ridge's Lariel Henley jumped 5-5 to set her own school record. The mark ties her for No. 2 in 5A, including with yesterday's third placer, Jadyn Luna from Poudre. Henley did have her own moment to shine, though, as she took the victory in the 100 hurdles in 16.09.
Fort Collin's Riley Dodd won the 300-meter hurdles in 48.46. Rocky Mountain's Emma Chicco won the pole vault in 11-feet over Naughton, while teammate Caitlyn Lovato pulled a half-inch upset victory over Fort Collins' Taryn Burkett in the long jump to move to 5A No. 8. Burkett rallied back with a 39-02 triple jump to win by over four feet and move to 5A No. 2.
Other notable results include the double-wins of both Fossil Ridge's Jessica Rockwell (100 and 200) and Fort Collins' Ella Johns (800 and 1600). Johns' 1600 victory was by 23 seconds and in trainers.
Her teammate Laura Davis heaved a 40-3 shot put for a new classification leading mark before finishing second to Rocky Mountain's Lindsey Osterfelt in the discus, 122-09 to 114.
Fort Collins barely nabbed the team title over Fossil Ridge 131.5 to 130.5 with Rocky Mountain and Poudre distance third and fourth places in 72 and 46, respectively.
Much like in the girl's side of the meet, strong field event showings dominated the boy's results, but not before Rocky Mountain's Dominic Gallelli had something to say.
Gallelli stormed to a one-plus second victory over teammate Reid Ostler in the 100 hurdles before coming back around 15 minutes later to take second in his first ever high school 100 in 11.39. He was also second in the 200, with both losses coming at the hands of Fort Collins' Dorion McGarity.
Ostler got his own first place with a two second victory in the 300 hurdles.
Poudre's Rhys Travis won the high jump with a 6-3 mark. Joe Cottingham 6-1 second place jump was enough to move the Collins freshman to 5A No. 7. Both he and Rocky Mountain's Lance Gilbertson, who took third in 5-11, are Top-5 freshman jumpers regardless of classification.
Travis' second win of the day was in the triple jump. His 44-7.25 leap puts him at No. 2 in 5A. Behind him, Fort Collins' Mateus Gadaleta and Fossil Ridge's Landon Coker moved into the 5A top 11 with their respective 43-6.5 and 42-5.57 marks.
But perhaps the most competitive events of the day took place in the throwing rings with the top throwers in 5A competing.
Fossil Ridge's Braiden Dishman defended his top ranking with a 163-10 victory over teammate Tanner Arkin and Rocky Mountain's Kevin Bruxvoort. Dishman's 52-9 throw also won the shot over Arkin with Fort Collins' Cade Whish nabbing third ahead of Bruxvoort. Arkin now sits second in 5A behind his teammate in both throws, with Bruxvoort No. 3 in discus and Whish No. 5 in shot.
Fort Collins completed their sweep of the team titles with 116 points, as Fossil Ridge was second with 104 and Rocky Mountain third at 98.